What Is HELL ?

[Br. Bear]

What is Hell?

What makes us think hell is what we think it is?

Please go here:

I don't believe a loving God would send people to hell.....

Greetings Brother, More and more we see this sort of thing in one make or model. Back in the Garden... Ssssss_surely God hasssss not said..... ------- Too often the threat faced in considering condemnation is seen as a violation of individual rights. People tend to want to be their own god...

www.talkjesus.com

Will people go to hell and if so how do we know?


Bless you all ....><>

 

[B-A-C]

The word "hell" is only mentioned in the new testament, most frequently by Jesus Himself.

Matt 5:22; “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

From this verse we can glean it is a "fiery" place, where those who judged "guilty" before the "supreme court" (presumably the judgment).

Matt 5:29; If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Matt 5:30; “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

From this passage we can glean it is an unpleasant place, so unpleasant that that it would be better to tear out your eyes or cut off your arm, rather than go to hell.

Matt 10:28; “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

This is a controversial verse. The "Him" (who is able to destroy) is presumably God. Some believe this verse supports annihilation-ism, others say this is an eternal/perpetual death.

Matt 18:8; If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.
Matt 18:9; “If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell.

This is very similar to Matt 5:29-30; above, however this isn't the same instance, Jesus was teaching the sermon on the mount in Matt 5, Jesus is talking to the disciples in Matt 18.
But it is interesting that Jesus says this twice in Matthew.

Matt 23:15; “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Jesus says here, the Pharisees made their apprentices "a son of hell", presumably this means they teach them to be like the Pharisees, (ignore the commandments, embrace tradition, prefer legalism over grace and mercy)

Matt 23:33; “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

Jesus is addressing the scribes and Pharisees again, "the sentence of hell" again seems to support this is where the guilty go after they are judged ( a guilty verdict).

Luke 9:43; If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire,
Luke 9:44; [ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ]
Luke 9:45; “If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell,
Luke 9:46; [ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ]
Luke 9:47; “If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell,
Luke 9:48; where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Luke 9 here, is similar to the two passages in Matthew, One noticeably difference, is that Luke says the fire is unquenchable, Verses 44 and 46 aren't in many of the early transcripts and were added by translators.
However, verse 48 is in these transcripts, and was not added. This seems to support the idea of perpetual punishment, you never truly die in hell.

Luke 12:5; “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!

This is similar to Matt 10:28; above. Again it is presumed that God is the one who casts people into hell.

James 3:6; And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.
James 3:7; For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.
James 3:8; But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.

This passage by James appears to be symbolic, but the thought is, what we say can defile us, and "sets the course of our life". If we don't change what we say about others, our tongue will cause us to be "set on fire by hell".

2Pet 2:4; For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;

Peter says hell is where the (fallen) angels are. This verse along with a few others about Hades, seems to say that hell is a temporary holding place until the judgment.

... to be continued.

 

[B-A-C]

The word "Hades" also does not appear in the old testament.

Matt 11:22; “Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.
Matt 11:23; “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day.
Matt 11:24; “Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”

Most of us know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, God rained down fire and brimstone on these cities until they were totally reduced to ashes.
Yet Jesus says it will better for those people, than the people who saw Jesus's miracles and still rejected Him. The presumption here is, hades is worse than the conditions in Sodom and Gomorrah.

Luke 10:13; Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
Luke 10:14; “But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.
Luke 10:15; “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades!
Luke 10:16; "The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

This passage in Luke is similar to the passage in Matthew above, a noticeable difference is that it only mentions Tyre and Sidon, not Sodom. Verse 16 in this context, appears to be saying if you reject what the disciples say about Jesus
you are basically rejecting Jesus, and God the Father. (the One who sent Me). If you reject Jesus it will be better for those people, than it will be for you.

Luke 16:23; “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24; “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’

Some theology about hell/hades comes from the story of Lazarus and the rich man. But again, the idea is this is a place of fire (flame) and agony.

Acts 2:25; “For David says of Him, ‘I saw the Lord always in my presence; For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.
Acts 2:26; ‘Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope;
Acts 2:27; Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
Acts 2:28; ‘You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’

This passage in Acts is a quote from David (Psalm 16:10; ) but it also taken as a prophecy about Jesus. Jesus's flesh never decayed. A major reformed doctrine, is that Jesus was resurrected in the flesh. (that flesh was not decayed).

Acts 2:31; he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay.
Acts 2:32; “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.

This is taken a number of ways, some say this only applies to Jesus, the flesh of others in hades will eventually decay, other say this means everyone in hades will perpetually burn.

Rev 1:18; and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

Again another major theological doctrine here, Jesus Himself has the keys of Hades, He decides who goes there and stays.

Rev 20:12; And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
Rev 20:13; And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
Rev 20:14; Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Rev 20:15; And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

At the end of the age, everyone will rise again, even those in hades. Everyone will be judged at this time. This is one of a few passages that say the wicked will rise and be judged by their deeds (not their beliefs)
( John 5:28-29; says the wicked will rise and be judged by their deeds) Acts 24:15; also says both the wicked and righteous will be resurrected.

Again this passage in Revelation 20 seems to support the idea that hades is a temporary holding place until the judgment. Eventually hades (and anyone who's name is not in the book of life) will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.

...to be continued .

 

[B-A-C]

Sometimes in the Bible, there is simply the word "fire" or in some cases, "the outer darkness". There is some dispute over where these places are, and even if they are the same place.

Matt 3:10; “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

For example this verse doesn't actually say hell or hades, but it is presumed that "the fire" here is hell.

Matt 3:12; “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The thought here is, some people are wheat, some people are chaff. The chaff will go into the :unquenchable fire".

Matt 7:18; “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
Matt 7:19; “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matt 7:20; “So then, you will know them by their fruits.

Some people are tress that produce good fruit, some people produce bad fruit. The ones that don't produce good fruit are "thrown into the fire".
Again this verse doesn't actually say hades or hell, but the presumption is, this hell.

Matt 25:41; “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

In the message about the sheep and the goats, Jesus says the goats will be cast "into the eternal fire". Again, although it doesn't actually say hell or hades, the presumption is.. this is hell or the lake of fire. ( 2Pet 2:4; does say this is hell )
Again this is the place that satan and his angels will eventually end up.

Matt 13:30; ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Eventually the tares that are in the kingdom will be taken out and put in bundles "to burn them up". This is usually taken as hell/lake of fire

There are more verses about "the fire", but you get the idea.

... to be continued .

 

[B-A-C]

The Lake of Fire is only mentioned 5 times in the Bible, all 5 are towards the end of Revelation.

Rev 19:20; And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.

The Lake of fire is a different place than hell/hades, this is a permanent place. It says here the beast, the false prophets and all the people who take the mark of the beast or worship the beast, will be "thrown alive" into the Lake of fire".

Rev 20:10; And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Eventually Satan himself will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Rev 20:14; Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Rev 20:15; And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

There is an old saying in Christianity, "Born once - die twice. Born twice - die once".
Basically it says if you are born again, you only die once. This is a little misleading because we all live forever, it's just the location that changes.
Anyone who's name isn't in the Book of Life gets thrown into the Lake of Fire, this is the second death. You don't just cease to exist when you die.

Rev 21:8; But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

This verse also says the Lake of Fire is the second death.

 

[Bethel]

What is Hell?

What makes us think hell is what we think it is?

-
Hell is the eternal destination that is chosen when a person dies a Christ rejector.
They chose it all their life, but had to die to get there.

Another way to think of it is this... Where is hell found? A.) Its found at the end of a Christ rejecting life.

Notice John 3:36., as this verse is not KIDDING... !

This verse says that all unbelievers are damned.
They are not waiting to be damned, .......they are already there....
See......Its to believe in Jesus and become born again that gets the DAMNATION off of you.....reader.
So, what are they waiting for....the unbelievers ??? They are waiting to go = where God has created for the Devil and His Angels, and His Children, .. a final eternal place.
Its real. Hell is as real as God, and it will last for as long as God lives.

Ive had the deceived tell me......"oh c'mon....God is going to let everyone out of Hell, eventually...."
Uh huh..
Just like He Let Jesus off that Cross...

A person says...... If God is love, why does He send people to hell, then to the lake of fire?

A.) He does not send......>He allows you to chose where you are going to spend your eternity., and that is where you chose to GO.

See, Hell is ON YOU.........It on you. Its not on God. Why? Because He gave you Jesus as the WAY to escape it.
He did His part.
The rest is on YOU.

You get to Choose, so Choose this day, the Gift of God and take care of your eternal life so that you dont end up where all who are not born again, end up after they die.

Listen, reader.......unbeliever......It does not take a massive IQ or a severe case of common sense, to realize, that Christ rejectors are not going to end up in heaven, with those who Love Jesus and chose Him on Earth.

Heaven has no Christ Rejectors in it, ......and Hell and then the Lake of Fire has no born again found there.

Believe it.

 

[Butch5]

What is Hell?

What makes us think hell is what we think it is?

Please go here:

I don't believe a loving God would send people to hell.....

Greetings Brother, More and more we see this sort of thing in one make or model. Back in the Garden... Ssssss_surely God hasssss not said..... ------- Too often the threat faced in considering condemnation is seen as a violation of individual rights. People tend to want to be their own god...

www.talkjesus.com

Will people go to hell and if so how do we know?


Bless you all ....><>

Are we talking about the English word hell? The English hell is not in the Scriptures. The Scriptures use the words sheol or Hades, Gehenna, and Tartarus. All of these are places. Tartarus, is spoken of specifically about angels so there's no need to keep it in the discussion. That leaves sheol or Hades and Gehenna. Sheol or Hades, are the grave. So, everyone goes to the grave. That leaves us with only Gehenna. Gehenna is a valley outside of Jerusalem. It's a place where Israel burned their children in sacrifice to pagan gods. God said since they did that He would burn them there. It's also a place where God will burn the bodies of those at Armageddon. Jesus said if you hand causes you to sin, cut it off, that it is better to enter into life maimed than to be burned in Gehenna. John says that those not found in the book of life will be cast into the Lake of Fire. So, are the wicked cast into Gehenna or the Lake of Fire? which is it? The answer is, yes. They are one and the same. If we picture a valley full of dead bodies that are burning, what is the imagery? Is it not a lake of fire? However, we know from Scripture that this valley will not burn forever. Jeremiah says that one day it will be made holy to the Lord.

 

[Samson2020]

The word "hell" is only mentioned in the new testament, most frequently by Jesus Himself.

Not even close. There are 31 references in the Old Testament.

Are we talking about the English word hell? The English hell is not in the Scriptures. The Scriptures use the words sheol or Hades, Gehenna, and Tartarus. All of these are places. Tartarus, is spoken of specifically about angels so there's no need to keep it in the discussion. That leaves sheol or Hades and Gehenna. Sheol or Hades, are the grave. So, everyone goes to the grave. That leaves us with only Gehenna. Gehenna is a valley outside of Jerusalem. It's a place where Israel burned their children in sacrifice to pagan gods. God said since they did that He would burn them there. It's also a place where God will burn the bodies of those at Armageddon. Jesus said if you hand causes you to sin, cut it off, that it is better to enter into life maimed than to be burned in Gehenna. John says that those not found in the book of life will be cast into the Lake of Fire. So, are the wicked cast into Gehenna or the Lake of Fire? which is it? The answer is, yes. They are one and the same. If we picture a valley full of dead bodies that are burning, what is the imagery? Is it not a lake of fire? However, we know from Scripture that this valley will not burn forever. Jeremiah says that one day it will be made holy to the Lord.

Pretty much spot on.

 

[B-A-C]

Not even close. There are 31 references in the Old Testament.

In that case, it should be easy for you to give a few references.
Do you have scriptures for this?

That leaves sheol or Hades and Gehenna. Sheol or Hades, are the grave. So, everyone goes to the grave

Sheol is the lower parts of the earth, it contains both Hades and Paradise, but it is not Hades.
Both the wicked and righteous went to Sheol, only the wicked go to the hades side of sheol, and only the righteous went to he paradise/Abraham's Bosom side of Sheol.

 

[rstrats]

Bethel,
re: A person says...... If God is love, why does He send people to hell, then to the lake of fire? A.) He does not send......>"

Revelation 20:15 seems to say otherwise: "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."




re: "He allows you to chose where you are going to spend your eternity., and that is where you chose to GO."

Why would any mentally competent person choose to go to the lake of fire if they believed that they would be tortured there 24/7 for eternity?

 

[B-A-C]

Why would any mentally competent person choose to go to the lake of fire if they believed that they would be tortured there 24/7 for eternity?

Why would any mentally competent person reject Jesus? I don't know, but most intelligent people I know do.
They are smart people, most have college degrees, many of them believe in "some higher power". Some do not.
But even the ones that do, don't want to follow any rules or believe in a specific deity, they just want to do what they want to do
and "deal with the consequences later". Thinking they will somehow escape God's wrath. They've been given all the information
they need to avoid it, they just choose not to accept it.

 

[rstrats]

Why would any mentally competent person reject Jesus?

No, that is not what I asked.

 

[B-A-C]

No, that is not what I asked.

I know, but the two are inexplicably tied together.
By choosing to reject Jesus, you are choosing to go to hell.

Acts 4:12; And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”

 

[rstrats]

I know, but the two are inexplicably tied together.
By choosing to reject Jesus, you are choosing to go to hell.

My question still remains - Why would any mentally competent person choose to go to the lake of fire if they believed that they would be tortured there 24/7 for eternity? Have you ever asked anyone that question that you know to have made that choice?

 

[B-A-C]

Have you ever asked anyone that question that you know to have made that choice?

Dozens. The answer is usually the same. I want to do what I want to do. This life is here and now, I want to live in the present, not what might happen at some in the future.
Most of them believe they will change at the last minute, and get saved "in the nick of time". But even those who don't, still want what they want, and they want it now.
Let's not talk about hell, let's not talk about sin.. maybe if we avoid it, it will just go away.

 

[Samson2020]

In that case, it should be easy for you to give a few references.
Do you have scriptures for this?



Sheol is the lower parts of the earth, it contains both Hades and Paradise, but it is not Hades.
Both the wicked and righteous went to Sheol, only the wicked go to the hades side of sheol, and only the righteous went to he paradise/Abraham's Bosom side of Sheol.

Deu 32:22
2 Sam 22:6
Job 11:8
Job 26:6
Psalms 9:17, 16:10, 18:5, 55:15, 86:13, 116:3, 139:8
Proverbs 5:15, 7:27, 9:18, 15:11, 15:24, 23:14, 27:20
Isaiah 5:14, 14:9, 14:15, 28:15, 28:18, 57:9
Eze 31:16, 31:17, 32:21, 32:27
Amos 9:2
Jonah 2:2
Hab 2:5

There you go for reference

 

[B-A-C]

Deu 32:22
2 Sam 22:6
Job 11:8
Job 26:6
Psalms 9:17, 16:10, 18:5, 55:15, 86:13, 116:3, 139:8
Proverbs 5:15, 7:27, 9:18, 15:11, 15:24, 23:14, 27:20
Isaiah 5:14, 14:9, 14:15, 28:15, 28:18, 57:9
Eze 31:16, 31:17, 32:21, 32:27
Amos 9:2
Jonah 2:2
Hab 2:5

None of my 18 Bibles have the word hell or hades in any of those verses, they all say the grave, the pit, the earth, sheol or something similar.
But none say hell or hades.

 

[Samson2020]

My question still remains - Why would any mentally competent person choose to go to the lake of fire if they believed that they would be tortured there 24/7 for eternity? Have you ever asked anyone that question that you know to have made that choice?

The concept of Hell as taught by the organized church is nothing more than a smear against the character of God.
Eternal torment is the assertion that God is either unwilling or unable to save all men. If unwilling then His character is defective ( we know this to not be the case); If unable then His authority is limited ( we also know this is not the case). If God would like to save everyone but cannot, then He is either weak or incompetent (again this is not the case).
Eternal torment makes our Father out to be and incompetent fraud and a vengeful monster, just like the unregenerate nature of fallen man. Ascribes human characteristics to God.
Although no human deviate would ever think to prescribe unending, undying torture, as retribution for wounded pride. And yet this is the insane doctrine of hell invented by organized christianity
and fed to the human race in the name of an all sovereign God of love. No single concept ever contrived by the putrefaction of man could be farther from the truth.

"For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

 

[Samson2020]

None of my 18 Bibles have the word hell or hades in any of those verses, they all say the grave, the pit, the earth, sheol or something similar.
But none say hell or hades.

Then you must not have KJV, or NKJV Bibles.

 

[B-A-C]

Then you must not have KJV, or NKJV Bibles.

No, as these are not considered the most accurate, but even if I open my KJV lexicons for lets say your first verse here. Deut 32:22; what is the actual word in Hebrew here?

sheol. Not hades.